Heuchera sp. cultivar Jade Gloss.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant, botanically known as Heuchera sp. and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98Jade Glossxe2x80x99.
The new Heuchera is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Heuchera cultivars having good plant vigor, dense and uniform plant habit, and showy and attractive flower and leaf coloration.
The new Heuchera was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., from seedling progeny from a self-pollination made by the Inventor in May, 1998, of the Heuchera cultivar Silver Maps, not patented. The new Heuchera was selected by the Inventor in May, 1999. The selection of this plant was based on its desirable flower and foliage coloration.
Asexual reproduction of the new Heuchera by cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Scottdale, Pa., since August, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this new Heuchera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The cultivar Jade Gloss has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Jade Glossxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Jade Glossxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Full and densely foliated; uniformly mounded plant habit.
2. Upper leaf surfaces silvery gray in color with contrasting dark gray green venation; lower leaf surfaces dark red purple in color.
3. Numerous showy white and red purple-colored flowers arranged on erect panicles.
4. Excellent garden performance.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Silver Maps. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Maps in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera had more rounded lobes than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Maps.
2. Upper leaf surfaces of plants of the new Heuchera had less extensive leaf veining than upper leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
3. Plants of the new Heuchera had shorter flowering stems than plants of the cultivar Silver Maps.
Plants of the new Heuchera can be compared to plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,066. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls in the following characteristics:
1. Leaves of plants of the new Heuchera were thicker and had deeper lobes than leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
2. Upper leaf surfaces of plants of the new Heuchera had less extensive leaf veining than upper leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
3. Plants of the new Heuchera had shorter flowering stems than plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
4. Plants of the new Heuchera were more freely flowering than plants of the cultivar Silver Scrolls.
Plants of the new Heuchera can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,111. In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventor in Scottdale, Pa., plants of the new Heuchera differed from plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Heuchera had smaller leaves than plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence.
2. Upper leaf surfaces of plants of the new Heuchera had less extensive leaf veining than upper leaf surfaces of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence.
3. Plants of the new Heuchera had shorter flowering stems than plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence.
4. Lower surfaces of sepals of plants of the new Heuchera were white and red purple bi-colored whereas lower surfaces of sepals of plants of the cultivar Harmonic Convergence was red purple.